Authorities said Monday that 238 people were arrested in Southern California under this year's operation, including religious and community leaders.

In Houston, the sting operation arrested 126 suspects.

RELATED: Mugshots from Houston's "Operation Broken Heart III"

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Mugshots from Houston Operation Broken Heart III

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Mugshots from Houston Operation Broken Heart III

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Operation Broken Heart began in 2014. As part of the operation, authorities use undercover methods — like posing as a child — to find sexual predators online.

The U.S. Attorney's Los Angeles Office describes one of the predators as saying: "He was hoping to meet 'other pervs' in the U.S. and ultimately agreed to pay a human trafficker $250 to provide him with a young boy with whom he could engage in illicit sex."